Different camera numbers internationally - why?

[Canonix]

Like some other manufacturers, Canon believes in giving similar products in different markets (Europe/Japan/USA) different names or numbers.

I can see that a good name in one market might not go down well in another, but numbers? Why bother? Do they enjoy the confusion it causes customers? Or is there a more sinister reason: so that customs officers at airports can easily spot attempts to smuggle cameras into different markets?

 

[epsiloneri]

I can see that a good name in one market might not go down well in another, but numbers? Why bother?

I have no answer to you except that I prefer the number scheme (500D, 550D etc) and find the "naming" scheme (Kiss X3/X4, T1i/T2i etc) more confusing, in particular since the number scheme fits better with the model numbers of the higher end models, which Canon uses everywhere (5D MkII is 5D MkII even in Japan).

 

[torger]

Probably several reasons, one could be to make it more difficult for customers to compare between markets, so you can have different prices. And even if you compare the products have a local feel to it (and guarantee) so it is more likely that you will buy the local version although it might be more expensive.

In short, it is useful to segment the market if you want to maximize profit.

 

[lol]

The number system seems the most unambiguous to me. Within the entry level series, bigger = newer. The Japanese "Kiss" models are not far off I suppose, as they seem to be just increasing the number each time. The US one is just horrific. Did they pick random letters out for them?

I'm not familiar with Canon history, so I guess the question is, when did they first start using different names?

I can imagine they realised quickly that "Kiss" wasn't going to cut it in the West. Imagine going into a camera store and saying, "Give me a Kiss". Also given the variety of languages particularly in Europe, any word name might be harder to use, so the number system is quite safe in that respect.

 

[EYEONE]

The Japanese names are the worst. I have a friend with a Kiss2. Blah. But I dislike the America names for the Rebels an awful lot too. XSi is just too hard to say, and T2i isn't any better. When people ask what kinda of camera I have I just say a "Canon 450D". The reaction of people to hearing 450D is much better than "XSi".

I view the xxxD names as the "real" names. Since that is what makes sense within Canon's line up.

 

[unruled]

I can see that a good name in one market might not go down well in another, but numbers? Why bother?

I have no answer to you except that I prefer the number scheme (500D, 550D etc) and find the "naming" scheme (Kiss X3/X4, T1i/T2i etc) more confusing, in particular since the number scheme fits better with the model numbers of the higher end models, which Canon uses everywhere (5D MkII is 5D MkII even in Japan).

I agree

Probably several reasons, one could be to make it more difficult for customers to compare between markets, so you can have different prices.

actually there are hardly any price differences as Canon sets the retail value for all its products in the same way that Apple does, ie. fixed. The only difference you will ever spot in price is purely due conversion in currency.

 

[ronderick]

Well... since we're on the topic of different names for different markets...

I still remember I bought my first ELPH in the US, and found out it was
Canon IXUS in Asia...

Talking about confusion... :

 

[archfotos]

I remember the Eos A2e was different from the European model and the reason was US Patient Rights for that particular feature. In that the US model A2 didn't have the scale in the viewfinder whereas the 5 did.

P.S I also wonder if battery chargers and electrical current has anything to do with differences between similar cameras?

 

[unruled]

I remember the Eos A2e was different from the European model and the reason was US Patient Rights for that particular feature. In that the US model A2 didn't have the scale in the viewfinder whereas the 5 did.

P.S I also wonder if battery chargers and electrical current has anything to do with differences between similar cameras?

the chargers are the same, its just the chord that plugs into it that will be different (ie. to compensate the different style sockets).

 

[Thomas McConnell]

I think this is their marketing strategy.

Thomas McConnell

 

[dr croubie]

This may or may not be also related to the computer CPU story i read a while back. I'm at work, so no time to look up the entire story, but it goes something like this:

intel designed and made the 8086, 80286, 80386, 80486 processors. AMD at the time was a 'second supplier', meaning they made them, using intel's designs, and paid a license fee. Then for various reasons, intel decided that it didn't want AMD making them anymore, it viewed them more as a competitor than a second supplier. Big massive court case, intel claimed that amd was only allowed to make up to the 386, amd said the license should also cover 486 because it includes the 386 instruction set, intel said they had a trademark on the name 486.

and that's the point i'm getting to, in that at the end it was decided that (at least in the US, where they were doing battle) you can't trademark a number.
and so at the end of this story, the name 'pentium' was born, intel could trademark it, stop AMD making anything they designed, and AMD had to come out with their duron/sempron/athlon etc names.


So maybe there's also a parallel here to cameras? By this logic, if canon brought out the 'eos 500' in the US, then they have the trademark on 'eos' of course, but there is legally nothing to stop any other company coming out with a camera called '500' (seriously, who ever says "i have an eos 500"?). i know they sell 1d/ds/5d in the US, maybe it's got to do with how many letters vs numbers are in the name?
and the rebel/kiss names have been around for over 20 years, film cameras were also called rebels, and the names just carried over...

 

[EYEONE]

That's very interesting and possibly explains a lot.
Thanks for the info!

 

[DavidRiesenberg]

The trademark explanation seems very plausible although disputes over the use of letters and numbers have reached the courts before. A few examples that come to my currently alcohol induced fuzzy memory are Nissan suing BMW over the letter "Z" and Audi for the letter "Q". More recently Ford got their collective panties in a bunch and threatened Ferrari for naming their latest F1 race car, "F150".

 

[Rocky]

The naming system used in U.S. is different from the rest of the world is due to the Importer of Canon in U.S. wants to identify their own imported product when it dealss with the warranty. Canon U.S.A. will only honor the warranty of the product that is imported by them ONLY. If you buy a camera outside of U.S. and needs warranty work, you need to pay for the total repair cost. By looking at the product number, Canon U.S.A. known whether it is their imported product or not.

 

[epsiloneri]

By looking at the product number, Canon U.S.A. known whether it is their imported product or not.

This could easily be made in a less obvious way, like coding it into the serial number. I don't believe in the CPU analogy either. No, I think it definitely is a marketing strategy.